Monday, 29 June 2015

I recently acquired these two pine bedside cabinets and just finished transforming them with chalk paint AND new handles - this is the 'before' look...

A bit dated? On the positive side, these are really good, solid pine units with some nice detail to the pedestal. I think the handles are a bit masculine though, I'll save them for some Steampunk!

Here's the after.... would you have recognised them?

They've been painted all over using two Autentico chalk paints: Foggy Venice and Roman White.
After painting, the edges have been lightly sanded to give a subtle 'shabby chic' finish, then clear wax has been brushed all over to seal and protect.

Wednesday, 29 April 2015

I'm on constant look out for bedside cabinets! I came across these two recently and have refurbed them quickly and easily.

Here's a 'before' pic.

These aren't particularly old pieces of furniture and the previous owner had a bash at painting one of the cabinets, then obviously gave up after a few brush strokes. Chalk paint and the waxes really are easy to use - here's the story...

I removed the hardware and then used Autentico's Foggy Venice paint - which is a popular 'Paris' grey colour, to paint all over. The brass handles were painted too - then gilded with some silver wax.

Once dry, the cabinets receive a generous coating of creamy clear wax and then the white chalk wax is brushed on. It picks out the texture of the paint and I've made sure it highlights corners to give that 'limed' finish.

The tops of the cabinets show the white wax effect very well. Just use more clear wax to remove any unwanted white and to achieve show-through of the grey paint.

Saturday, 21 February 2015

There are lots of pretty display cabinets around that look fabulous when they're refurbished.

This 'half-moon' cabinet has an Oriental design but is originally made by a London based company. I was really looking forward to giving this the French Shabby look!

Here's the before pic. There's three glass shelves inside. The raised design on the outside would have been so vibrant when it was new, but now it's full of scratches and watermarks and ready for a new look.

She's been painted inside with a soft grey - Foggy Venice chalk paint. Then outside creamy Paris Grey chalk paint and given a rough sanding to get the shabby look. Clear wax seals and protects the paint and adds a soft shine.

I was originally thinking about adding lots of gilding to this cabinet, but once painted the flow of the design was enough. Just a bit of bling on the insides of the doors.

And the tootsies...

One of the special things about this cabinet is the key... gives a very satisfying click to lock, great piece of design too.

Here she is getting ready to go to her new home outside the shop. The shelves are out, I'll have to get a pic when she's settled in.

The doors open outwards to give full access to the display case inside, what a beauty!

Here's a quick pic taken from my apartment last night - another Lune shot, this one taken over the rooftops to show a Dark Moon, with Venus and Mars above.

Saturday, 14 February 2015

If you find one of these old writing desks, they really do look great after a refurb!

You know the before look - dull, brown, scratched up and dated...

When you open the top of the bureau, if everything's in place and the drawers and desk top work smoothly, then it's a great find.

I gave this bureau a few coats of Autentico's Foggy Venice chalk paint which is a light grey colour and painted the inside in another chalk paint called Antique Turquoise - these two colours are really popular at the moment.

I took the handles off and refurbed them. You'd never know these solid brass handles had such a lovely design hidden away.

The grey paint has been finished with a black wax. These coloured waxes are used to bring out some of the texture of the wood and then sealed and finished with a clear wax.

Using black wax on this grey gives it a 'strong and steely' finish - and it firms up the lines in this elegant design.

These compact desks folded away and sit quietly in the corner, but should give some BLING when they're open. There's lots of space to store the laptop and this blue and gold design inside is uplifting.

All the drawers are painted blue inside too - with a bit of gilding across the top.

The feet have little gold boots added... I do like adding booties to Queen Anne legs :-)

Thursday, 11 December 2014

Actually, this is not JUST a chest of drawers story. I've just finished refurbing a chest of drawers and a customer asked me to do the same finish on a chair and some small tables.

Here's the chest of drawers in the incarnation before... well made, but looking really quite dated from the 1980s.

Oh my goodness, don't things looks so different in the sun?

I've painted everything all over in Foggy Venice chalk paint - which is a light 'Paris' grey. That includes the handles, then I sealed and finished everything with white chalk wax. The 'limed' finish has been a real favourite this year.

I gave this brown chair the same treatment...

Completely different design of legs - but the white chalk wax looks so great on any carved work.

There were some old brown tables that got the same finish - they're all going out of the workshop straight into a newly decorated room... would be nice to see them all at home together :-)

Saturday, 22 November 2014

This lovely Edwardian dresser has the most beautiful handles, but could do with an overhaul I reckon!

Here she is all in brown before outfit - the surfaces are a bit scratched up but what a lovely mirror!

And here's Cinders after being given an all over treatment. I went for a very simple solution using Autentico's Foggy Venice grey chalk paint and then used white chalk wax all over to get that frosted finish.

The insides of the two small drawers at the top are painted in a strong pink - called Heliotrope.

The chalk wax brings a really lovely limed finish - it reminds me of a light sprinkling of cake frosting or if you need a cool look winter's frost.

The mirror looks wonderful against a dark wall and the grey brings through the curvy design.

Here's a close up of the drawer handles and locks - the white wax does a great job. Very Arts and Crafts!

And adding brush strokes in the chalk paint means the surfaces can be more interesting.

She's just waiting for a good home now...

Looks good with whites - this warm grey is almost silver with the white finish. Beautiful :-)

Saturday, 8 November 2014

I've been meaning to do a story of black chalk wax. I've been using it quite a lot lately and now customers are using it regularly in workshops. Gail picked up this chair which had been totally abandoned - she saw the potential :-)

The seat frame was there and a kind hubby glued everything together.

Here's the amazing 'after'. Gail painted the chair in Foggy Venice - a light grey chalk paint. Then used clear and black waxes to bring out the design. She covered the seat in Harris Tweed which she'd bought when she visited the Hebrides. Look at those lovely knees below his kilt!!

Black wax is easy to use and can create a stunning effect. This mirror has been painted and and waxed in the same colours as Gail used...